The myth that we are an improved version of last years team.

[Yogi]

Other than our starting 5, there are exactly 0 players on this years team from the squad that was one game away from the finals last season. 
Dooling became Terry
Ray became Lee
Pietrus became Green
Hollins became Wilcox
Stiemsma became Collins
JaJuan became Sullinger
Moore became Smith/B.A.E
Sean Williams became Fab Melo
Pavlovic became Kris Joseph
Daniels became Christmas

That's one heck of an upgrade in talent.  The only step backwards is Ray/Lee, but it can be argued that Lee is a better fit for the role.  Not many teams have 2/3 roster turnover.  We are a radically different team from last year.  We're a much better team.

[AB_Celtic]

Other than our starting 5, there are exactly 0 players on this years team from the squad that was one game away from the finals last season. 
Dooling became Terry
Ray became Lee
Pietrus became Green
Hollins became Wilcox
Stiemsma became Collins
JaJuan became Sullinger
Moore became Smith/B.A.E
Sean Williams became Fab Melo
Pavlovic became Kris Joseph
Daniels became Christmas

That's one heck of an upgrade in talent.  The only step backwards is Ray/Lee, but it can be argued that Lee is a better fit for the role.  Not many teams have 2/3 roster turnover.  We are a radically different team from last year.  We're a much better team.

Well it sounds like it's not a myth then...

[LarBrd33]

Other than the top 5, there are exactly 0 players on last year's playoff team that were relevant.

We should be better this year.  No doubt.  But I'm not sure being "better" is enough.  A lot of circumstances lead to our massive overachieving in the playoffs.  A lot of key players for key teams had to get hurt.  It's not a given we'll be back in the ECF even with an improved team.

It should be a vastly more interesting team to follow, though.  I can't wait to watch how Terry fits in.  How Lee does.  If Bradley lives up to the mini hype.  Which of the three ultimately wins the starting spot.  Whether Sullinger can make an impact.  Whether Jeff Green can finally flourish on in a better system and whether he ends up starting.  Whether Rondo continues his awesome play in the playoffs...  Should be fun.

[Prof. Clutch]

Other than our starting 5, there are exactly 0 players on this years team from the squad that was one game away from the finals last season. 
Dooling became Terry
Ray became Lee
Pietrus became Green
Hollins became Wilcox
Stiemsma became Collins
JaJuan became Sullinger
Moore became Smith/B.A.E
Sean Williams became Fab Melo
Pavlovic became Kris Joseph
Daniels became Christmas

That's one heck of an upgrade in talent.  The only step backwards is Ray/Lee, but it can be argued that Lee is a better fit for the role.  Not many teams have 2/3 roster turnover.  We are a radically different team from last year.  We're a much better team.

Well it sounds like it's not a myth then...

Yeah, I'm a little confused.  The thread title, especially the word "myth," implies that we are a worse team but the content of your post makes the point that we are better.

[Yogi]

Other than our starting 5, there are exactly 0 players on this years team from the squad that was one game away from the finals last season. 
Dooling became Terry
Ray became Lee
Pietrus became Green
Hollins became Wilcox
Stiemsma became Collins
JaJuan became Sullinger
Moore became Smith/B.A.E
Sean Williams became Fab Melo
Pavlovic became Kris Joseph
Daniels became Christmas

That's one heck of an upgrade in talent.  The only step backwards is Ray/Lee, but it can be argued that Lee is a better fit for the role.  Not many teams have 2/3 roster turnover.  We are a radically different team from last year.  We're a much better team.

Well it sounds like it's not a myth then...

The myth is that we are the same team with some modifications.  The reality is that 2/3 of our team were not on our roster in May.  

[Yogi]

Other than the top 5, there are exactly 0 players on last year's playoff team that were relevant.

We should be better this year.  No doubt.  But I'm not sure being "better" is enough.  A lot of circumstances lead to our massive overachieving in the playoffs.  A lot of key players for key teams had to get hurt.  It's not a given we'll be back in the ECF even with an improved team.

Dooling, Ray/Bradley, Pietrus, Hollins and Stiemsma were irrelevant?

[LarBrd33]

Other than the top 5, there are exactly 0 players on last year's playoff team that were relevant.

We should be better this year.  No doubt.  But I'm not sure being "better" is enough.  A lot of circumstances lead to our massive overachieving in the playoffs.  A lot of key players for key teams had to get hurt.  It's not a given we'll be back in the ECF even with an improved team.

Dooling, Ray/Bradley, Pietrus, Hollins and Stiemsma were irrelevant?

In the later series, Bradley was gone and Ray was starting.   Dooling, Pietrus, Hollings and Stiesma did nothing that made me feel they were irreplaceable.  All of them were expendable bench scrubs. 

[Lord of Mikawa]

This current version of our team is way better than last year's squad, given everyone stays healthy.

[Bombastic Jones]

Other than our starting 5, there are exactly 0 players on this years team from the squad that was one game away from the finals last season. 
Dooling became Terry
Ray became Lee
Pietrus became Green
Hollins became Wilcox
Stiemsma became Collins
JaJuan became Sullinger
Moore became Smith/B.A.E
Sean Williams became Fab Melo
Pavlovic became Kris Joseph
Daniels became Christmas

That's one heck of an upgrade in talent.  The only step backwards is Ray/Lee, but it can be argued that Lee is a better fit for the role.  Not many teams have 2/3 roster turnover.  We are a radically different team from last year.  We're a much better team.

Well it sounds like it's not a myth then...

The myth is that we are the same team with some modifications.  The reality is that 2/3 of our team were not on our roster in May.  

Got to disagree.  The 1/3 that is the same is the 1/3 that counts the most and gave us 75% of the minutes last season.  We upgraded almost the entire bench at every position, but that doesnt mean we are an entirely different team.  We largely have the same core but now with a better bench and support.

[AB_Celtic]

Other than the top 5, there are exactly 0 players on last year's playoff team that were relevant.

We should be better this year.  No doubt.  But I'm not sure being "better" is enough.  A lot of circumstances lead to our massive overachieving in the playoffs.  A lot of key players for key teams had to get hurt.  It's not a given we'll be back in the ECF even with an improved team.

Dooling, Ray/Bradley, Pietrus, Hollins and Stiemsma were irrelevant?

In the later series, Bradley was gone and Ray was starting.   Dooling, Pietrus, Hollings and Stiesma did nothing that made me feel they were irreplaceable.  All of them were expendable bench scrubs.

I'd agree that Hollins was a bench scrub, but the other three aren't.
Dooling brought veteran leadership and defense.
Pietrus brought shooting (when he was healthy), Celtic pride, and defense.
Stiemsma brought defense, defense, and more defense.

That said, we have done a great job in replacing them, bringing in Lee and Collins. I think Dooling should come back, though. He was great for the team and for Rondo.

[slamtheking]

Other than our starting 5, there are exactly 0 players on this years team from the squad that was one game away from the finals last season. 
Dooling became Terry
Ray became Lee
Pietrus became Green
Hollins became Wilcox
Stiemsma became Collins
JaJuan became Sullinger
Moore became Smith/B.A.E
Sean Williams became Fab Melo
Pavlovic became Kris Joseph
Daniels became Christmas

That's one heck of an upgrade in talent.  The only step backwards is Ray/Lee, but it can be argued that Lee is a better fit for the role.  Not many teams have 2/3 roster turnover.  We are a radically different team from last year.  We're a much better team.

Well it sounds like it's not a myth then...

The myth is that we are the same team with some modifications.  The reality is that 2/3 of our team were not on our roster in May.  

a recommendation then -- renaming the thread to something more in-line with the point you're trying to make and less inflammatory in nature.  I think you have a valid (and accurate) point but the title is implies the opposite.

[LarBrd33]

Other than the top 5, there are exactly 0 players on last year's playoff team that were relevant.

We should be better this year.  No doubt.  But I'm not sure being "better" is enough.  A lot of circumstances lead to our massive overachieving in the playoffs.  A lot of key players for key teams had to get hurt.  It's not a given we'll be back in the ECF even with an improved team.

Dooling, Ray/Bradley, Pietrus, Hollins and Stiemsma were irrelevant?

In the later series, Bradley was gone and Ray was starting.   Dooling, Pietrus, Hollings and Stiesma did nothing that made me feel they were irreplaceable.  All of them were expendable bench scrubs.

I'd agree that Hollins was a bench scrub, but the other three aren't.
Dooling brought veteran leadership and defense.
Pietrus brought shooting (when he was healthy), Celtic pride, and defense.
Stiemsma brought defense, defense, and more defense.

That said, we have done a great job in replacing them, bringing in Lee and Collins. I think Dooling should come back, though. He was great for the team and for Rondo.

I'm going out on a limb and saying we're not going to miss what Dooling, Pietrus and Stiesma brought to this team.  Very replaceable players.   

Dooling did almost nothing.  Pietrus shot 33% and 20% from three.  Stiesma blocked some shots and that's about it.  Fab Melo can probably block shots too with force-fed minutes.

[AB_Celtic]

...

I'm going out on a limb and saying we're not going to miss what Dooling, Pietrus and Stiesma brought to this team.  Very replaceable players.  

I agree. Just don't call them scrubs. They were a big reason that we pushed the Heat to 7, or even that we made it that far.

[LarBrd33]

...

I'm going out on a limb and saying we're not going to miss what Dooling, Pietrus and Stiesma brought to this team.  Very replaceable players.   

I agree. Just don't call them scrubs. They were a big reason that we pushed the Heat to 7, or even that we made it that far.

Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo were a big reason we finally knocked off Philly in 7 and pushed the champs to the limit.   I'm not giving that credit to bench scrubs.  Sorry.  Stick any NBA players in those slots and they'd be just as valuable.  We didn't win any games because of Stiesma, Dooling and Pietrus.  We're talking about scraping the bottom of the NBA talent barrel here.

[AB_Celtic]

...

I'm going out on a limb and saying we're not going to miss what Dooling, Pietrus and Stiesma brought to this team.  Very replaceable players.   

I agree. Just don't call them scrubs. They were a big reason that we pushed the Heat to 7, or even that we made it that far.

Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo were a big reason we finally knocked off Philly in 7 and pushed the champs to the limit.   I'm not giving that credit to bench scrubs.  Sorry.  Stick any NBA players in those slots and they'd be just as valuable.  We didn't win any games because of Stiesma, Dooling and Pietrus.

Don't apologize to me; apologize to them. It's their hard work you're disregarding. No NBA team is complete without backups, and they got it done for us. Yes it was 75% Rondo and Garnett, but not 100%.

And spell Stiemsma right, please.